Former Norwich City goalkeeper Carlo Nash, 40, is facing a driving ban by magistrates after he was clocked by a traffic officer driving at 140mph on the A11 at Wymondham, a court heard. When stopped and informed about his speed the player is alleged to have replied: “I just wanted to get home.”

Former Norwich City goalkeeper Carlo Nash is facing a driving ban and fine after he was clocked driving at twice the legal speed limit at 140mph, on the A11, at Wymondham, a court heard.

Carlo Nash, 40, was stopped by a traffic officer, in a marked traffic patrol car, who followed him for one and half miles on the dual carriageway, and when told about his excessive speed, Nash is alleged to have replied: “I’m just trying to get home.” Norwich magistrates heard.

Nash, from Leftbank, Manchester, did not appear at the hearing at the magistrates court, although papers about the case were served back in May.

However after hearing from police prosecutor Ian Fletcher, about the details of the offence, Chairman of the bench, Val Attenborough found the case proved in his absence and adjourned the matter until August 5,

Nash, who the court heard already has nine points on his licence for speeding, will be written to by the court so as to give him the chance to attend the next hearing, which will consider imposing a driving ban on the player and also imposing a fine.

Mr Fletcher said that Nash was caught speeding on the 70mph dual carriageway of the A11 at Wymondham, on February 2, just before 11pm in his Mercedes Benz car.

“He was travelling at a very high speed and the officer followed the vehicle to check his speed over 1.5 miles.”

He said the speed was recorded by means of a marked traffic patrol vehicle using a calibrated speedometer and it was found that Nash was travelling at 140mph and when the officer told Nash about his speed: “He replied I’m just trying to get home.”.

Mr Fletcher said that Nash had six points for speeding on his licence from July, last year, and had a further three points for another speeding offence in August 2012.

The actions of the player were condemned by road safety charity Brake, which said that drivers like Nash were taking huge risks and should face the full force of the law.

James McLoughlin, spokesman for Brake, said: “Breaking the speed limit by any amount is a serious offence, but drivers who travel well above the speed limit are taking huge risks and are putting themselves and other road users in grave danger.”

He added that at very high speeds, crashes were more likely to be fatal and said: “This sort of selfish behaviour warrants strong action. We believe drivers who significantly break the speed limit, particularly those with previous driving offences, should face the full force of the law, including a driving ban, to take them off the road and deter others from behaving in a similarly risky way.”

Nash was Norwich City’s third-choice goalkeeper and was signed on a free transfer from Stoke City last summer, but was back up to John Ruddy and Mark Bunn and has amassed 250 games in English football.

At one stage in the run-up to City’s relegation from the Premier League, Nash was put forward by some fans to be player of the season.